“Hanelope, wake up! You sleepyhead!”
Katherine shouted while pulling back the curtains and letting a stinging light stream in.
It was a busy morning as usual. But everything felt new to me. Even the air I breathed.
“Hanelope tried to interpret this text in the ancient language.”
The scary professor had chosen me to answer, but I didn’t hesitate. I breezed through the language question with ease.
Even the wind blowing through the window seemed to be relaxing.
‘I feel like I’m floating in the sky.’
As I walked out of the lecture theater in a daze. Perhaps it was because of the pleasant voice that had been ringing in my ears all day.
“I’ll allow it.”
Last night, A handsome man with eyes as ecstatic as a night full of stars, said that.
He allowed me to accompany him.
‘I finally found Brantley.’
I won’t let him go this time. How could he have been so close?
‘I’m so glad he didn’t leave for some obscure place where he can’t be found.’
Brantley tried to hide from me, so I couldn’t directly ask him what happened.
‘The fact I found him was enough.’
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“You’re acting so weird today,” Katherine grumbled as we walked down the corridor.
Suddenly, I sobered up.
Katherine’s brow was furrowed in annoyance, “Why do you keep thinking about other things when you’re with me?”
She stopped walking abruptly and glared at me fiercely.
“How far did you go looking for Brantley last night? Did you find him…?”
Katherine stopped suddenly and sported a ‘no way’ look on her face.
I nodded without hesitation, “Yep. I found him.”
“R-Really?”
Katherine repeated, stuttering uncharacteristically.
I smiled and nodded.
‘I should have told her sooner.’
In truth, Katherine had been as helpful in finding Brantley as Maxim. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to leave the dormitory without being seen.
Katherine still couldn’t believe it.
She lowered her voice and whispered, “Are you sure you didn’t get him mixed up with someone else?”
“No. It was really Brantley, there’s no way I wouldn’t recognise him.”
“But… Did you meet him and verify?”
“Yes. I even talked to him alone.”
Katherine’s eyes widened, almost popping out of her head.
“Then why didn’t you bring him with you?”
I muttered bitterly, “It’s because… Brantley isn’t ready yet.”
“What?”
“I don’t know what’s been going on, but Brantley’s been trying to hide his identity from me.”
Katherine was at a loss for words.
I tried to sound cheerful, “So I got back at him! I pretended I didn’t recognise Brantley either!”
“What?”
“I thought he would run away again if I recognized him.”
Katherine asked in confusion, “How did you pretend you didn’t remember? Didn’t that hurt Brantley?”
“N-No. He was just stunned. I pretended to fall in love with Brantley at first sight.”
“What?”
Katherine looked at me questioningly, “You … ‘pretended’ to have a crush?”
“Yep. I was so good at it, even Brantley was fooled!”
“…to think it was an act.”
Katherine muttered to herself incoherently. For some reason, she seemed to be looking at me pitifully.
“Do you think my plan is absurd?”
“…….”
“But it worked pretty well. I’m going to meet Brantley’s on my next outing.”
“Hanelope, that…”
Katherine wanted to add something but- “Hanelope, there you are.”
Fritzka appeared behind her. He walked towards me as if Katherine didn’t exist. Katherine ignored him as if he were a ghost. Both were absolute naturals.
“Fritzka, what’s going on?”
“Hanelope, the Chancellor wants to see you.”
“Me?”
The current Chancellor of the Barbetz Academy was Carlz Stauffen, a descendant of Barbetz Stauffen.
“Carlz, like his ancestor, had a peculiar side to him. But Carlz’s only advantage was that he knew his students hated him.
So he never met with students, except in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
‘Then why did he call for me?’
I knocked on the door of the Chancellor’s office, feeling uneasy.
Knock.
“Come in!”
A gruff voice called from inside.
I had a hunch, ‘He must have found out about last night.’
Carlz was a middle-aged man, small in stature but with flowy hair. He stared at me as I greeted him.
“I assume you’ve guessed why I called you?”
“Yes…”
I didn’t know if I was right, but I replied in the positive…
Carlz nodded, “You’re not stupid.”
Phew.. there’s no better weapon than “making sure to inform” why the opposite party is being scolded.
“I’ve always suspected you of escaping the dormitories, but I had no proof. It seems you had a loyal collaborator.”
I winced.
“I don’t like partiality, so I’m not going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Sneaking out of the dorms is a breach of discipline.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll receive the punishment”
“Then….”
Carlz pulled a thick document from his bookshelf.
Thud!
It was so massive that the desk shook just by setting it down. I shuddered at the ominous foreboding.
“Chancellor, you can’t be sending me another…”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Carlz smiled wickedly.
“These are our new acquisitions of ancient texts. I’ve done a rough translation, but it leaves much to be desired.”
He fiddled with the thick papers, seemingly pleased at the thought.
“You do the rest of the translation!”
“What? All this by myself?” I asked.
“You already look tired.”
“I barely finished what you gave me last time!”
The ‘exceptional circumstance’ of Carlz interviewing a student resulted in being assigned to translate ancient languages.
He often took advantage of me because I had accidentally revealed my ancient language skills early in my studies.
Carlz chuckled as he watched me sulk.
“Punishment is supposed to be painful,” he said without remorse.
Eventually, I had to sit in front of the Chancellor’s desk to receive my ‘punishment’.
Scribble.. Scribble…
The room was filled with the sound of books being turned over and translations being written. My eyes felt like they were going to fall out, and my head ached.
But Carlz just stared at me impassively as I sighed.
‘How cruel can he be!’
By late evening, I had finished the first round of translations. I endured it and worked fast.
“I knew you could do it. See, it’s no big deal, right?”
“It’s not a big deal…?I thought I was going to die of exhaustion….”
“Finish the final translation by tomorrow.”
Carlz said, glancing over my translation.
It was another ridiculous demand, but I didn’t have the energy to argue.
“Don’t be hard on yourself,” he said, “but thanks to you, I’ve been able to share valuable ancient knowledge with the people. When we publish this material, you will be listed as the author.”
Carlz said soothingly.
He would often publish these translations of ancient texts for free.
Thanks to him, I was able to establish a solid track record of publications and research in ancient languages while still being a student.
“I could never translate ancient knowledge so seamlessly until I met you,” Carlz said proudly.
“Of course, this may not mean much to you.”
“This is ancient chivalric fiction. It’s what they call a trashy novel.”
“It’s not meaningless,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s a chick-lit novel, but it gives you a good idea of what life was like back then. It gives you an idea of the social order in ancient times.”
Carlz nodded.
“You have a point.”
“You’re going to praise and then punish me again, aren’t you?”
“This time it’s different.”
Carlz smirked and pulled something out of his desk drawer. I looked at it in horror.
“What is that?”
“It’s a letter of recommendation.”
“What?”
He set the ‘letter of recommendation’ down in front of me.
“The Imperial Academy, His Majesty the Emperor to be exact, has made you an offer. They would like to appoint you as an assistant professor at the Imperial Academy starting next year.”
“T-That’s ridiculous!”
I was stunned.
The paper really did say ‘Recommendation for Appointment as a Professor’.
“How can I be a professor? Besides, I’m a long way from graduating!”
“Looking at your grades. You’re eligible for an early graduation.”
“But…”
“Not only your grades but also your research and publications in the field of ancient languages. In terms of magic, you’re the best the Imperial Academy could want.”
Carlz wasn’t wrong.
Besides, I was officially a mage with magical abilities of the seventh circle.
‘Because that is said to be the highest level a human can reach.’
I was actually higher than that, as I could manipulate the divinity.
Grandfather said we should announce it as the seventh circle because it would be a burden to be known as higher than that.
Of course, the announcement that he was a seventh circle caused quite a stir.
‘Even now, people have a hard time believing me. They think it’s an exaggeration of my grandfather.’
It was understandable as I’ve never publicly showcased magic much.
Anyway, as Carlz spoke, it seemed there was no way out.
‘I thought grandfather wanted to send me away to Barbetz. But he had a reason.’
‘He was counting on my early graduation. He wanted me to gain experience here, and then bring me back to the Imperial Academy.’
Of course, the Imperial Academy was my alma mater, and I was curious about teaching.
But-
“What about Brantley if I go to the capital?
I couldn’t just leave Brantley here and go myself.
